5 Steps to Build Career in VLSI

5 Steps to Build Career in VLSI

So
many questions on the topic “How to Build Career in VLSI/Semiconductor Industry” ! So, I am composing 5 Steps to build career in this field. It's based on my experience.

Step No 1: Concept building + Basic
knowledge Building:

Concepts/Basics
are most important for this field. If you are from Electronics background or
From Computer Background, then you should have in-depth understanding of the following
topics. Note: Few topics are not required for CS students and same for
Electronics students.

Still
in several colleges BJT taught in detail and only a small unit regarding the
CMOS, so if that’s the case, please pick few good books for basic understanding
of CMOS + read different articles from Internet.

CMOS
design

Different
CMOS capacitance + Resistance Concepts

Stick
diagram

Fabrication
process

Flip-flops
(Electronics – Must Have , CS – Should
Have)

Flips-flops
are part of Digital Design in the B.E but these are basic building block of any
VLSI design. So we have to be more clear and through about this topic.

These
are 2 of the few known languages. Knowledge of these can help you in front-end
side of VLSI.

But
these are not necessary but it can be an added advantage.

Perl/TCL
scripting

These
are scripting language which is very popular in the Semiconductor industry.

These
are always an added advantage.

UNIX
based different scripting knowledge.

Like
SH, BASH or etc, always help you.

C/C++
programming (Electronics – Good to have, CS – Must have)

This
will help you to enter in the development of EDA tools. Few people don’t
consider this as VLSI industry, but for me, we can’t separate EDA from VLSI.

C/C++
programming along with good understanding in Digital Domain is very good
combination from skill point of view

Step No 2: Short Term Courses /
Certification During or After the Engineering Degree.

It
is very well know way in the Software field. During the study, students learn different
programming languages and complete few of the Short term courses for increasing
their knowledge which is not present or briefly covered in the college
curriculum. Same pattern we can apply for the Semiconductor field.

I
agree that there are very few institutes in the market which conducted such
type of courses and if there are any, they are 2 costly. But still sometime
it’s worth.

If
you are looking for something while studying then maybe you should not worried
about the certificate, always knowledge speaks more then certificates.
Certificates may help you during the screening of your profile (Note: Even this
is not necessary) but knowledge is something which can help you to crack any
interview or written test. So if you can get the knowledge somehow from your
senior’s experience + books + internet, then it’s the cheapest and best way. :)

If
you have time and money, you can join any good institute. Usually most of the institutes
offer a certificate course of full time 6-8 months and for that they usually
conduct entrance exams. These institutes also assist in the placements in
different companies.

I
am considering/assuming that the candidates already have an Engineering Degree
and they have tried STEP no 1 and 2 (partially). (Note: You can try this option
even before trying for 1st and 2nd option but my
recommendation to follow mentioned sequence). You can go for VLSI specialized
MS/Mtech program. Different Universities are offering such courses, so
candidate can try for that also.

Again,
during the Master degree, you have to build your concepts and now you have to
learn VLSI design flow. Work on the different EDA tools + VLSI concepts. Few of
them are

If
you are doing any specialized master program then you have to make sure that either
your internship or Final semester project should be related to VLSI design
where you design a particular circuit from scratch. It will be your main
project which can play an important role in your interview. It will be count as
your experience and everyone is going to ask the challenges and learning during
this project. So it should be real and worth for the master’s program.

For
most of these universities, you have to clear their specific entrance tests and
some time interview also. In the entrance test, basically they will check your
basics and knowledge.

These
universities also assist in the placements in different companies.

Step No 4: Internship / Project
Trainee.

It’s
not required that you always look for full time jobs especially in this field.
Several companies hire candidates as “Intern/Project Trainee” for 6 month / 1
year to evaluate the candidate’s skills and his/her problem solving skills. I
would say that’s the best way to show them how worth are you for the company!

Even
if they will not convert you into full time employee, the experience you gain
on the live project (which you will handle during your internship), will help
you in other company’s interview.

Step No 5: Keep Trying and Keep
Patience.

I
am not writing too much in this section because it’s self explanatory. But
Frankly speaking, Because of “Step No 5” – I am here writing this post. And
still I am following this step.

Final “Key Words” from the Author:

Sometime,
even after following above mentioned steps, students may not get entry into the
VLSI field. I would say “no need of worry”. Always try to figure out the reason
of failure in each step and try to full fill them and make them your strength.
I never come across to any person, who has knowledge + Brand Name + Passion +
Dedication + focused and still out of his/her dream field. As per my
understanding below are the % distributions of failure.

50%
of the time – They (candidates) are lacking in the basics and fundamentals,

30%
of time – They don’t have favorable
attitude ( usually judged by their seriousness in their different
projects + past experiences + their passion + dedication)

10%
of time – Not having Good/Known Brand Name (College / Universities Name).

10%
of time – “Give Up” because of struggle/challenges you are facing.

I
am not saying it’s very easy to enter in this field but believe me it’s not
difficult also. Just follow above steps (where
the first step is more important) and keep trying and keep patience.

As i am Instrumentation & Control engineer i was worried about this field but this post really helped me in discovering my weakness and boosting my confidence..Thank you so much for such wonderful post!!

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Don't try for vlsi job,never ever ,(go for embedded system).unless 1-you have strong reference 2- degree from IIT (even if IIT student are also lacking of proper skill, so company now a days not preferring IITian for vlsi job)3-you do specialization course because company prefer to recruit from mostly training vlsi centre4-Dont obsessed with vlsi job....If you are not getting,just give up as soon as posssible and look for ultimate....5-better go for Fabrication side,if interesed in PHD....

Thank You Sir, information you provided is quite useful. But i have a doubt i am recently graduated. I am interested in VLSI field but I dont have access to most of these big soft wares developed by Synopsis,mentor,cadance etc. Primarily because they are very costly. Most of the time i have seen that knowledge of these softwares is essential to get into VLSI field. Can u suggest me How to overcome this problem???

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